Bear…off leash…yesterday (Friday) afternoon.

It was a beautiful afternoon with blue sky, dramatic clouds and incredible (photographically speaking :) ) light.

Normally, photos of our walk – while beautiful to me…also somewhat normal.

But, at 5:20 a.m. Monday morning, I attached Bear’s lighted collar and opened the door. Typically he walks out just beyond the front porch and stands, watching. I pull on boots and jacket, pick up my coffee and follow.

Monday morning. My head was not in the moment. I was thinking about getting Bob and Bear fed, walked, situated and getting an early start to my work day. Between the bug and Christmas, I had missed nearly a week of work and was anxious to get back on track.

As I attached Bear’s collar, I noticed that he was unusually anxious to be out…skipping the normal “kisses of gratitude” that were normal for “we’re going for a walk”. When I opened the door, he immediately ran out and around to the back of the house.

I pulled on boots and jacket and followed…maybe 5 seconds behind. I was now anxious as I worried that the raccoon might be around. Raccoons are ferocious fighters when cornered.

I ran around the house listening and looking for the blue LED collar. Nothing, just dark – I looked in all directions. I then ran to the motorhome and started the engine. To not be able to see where Bear was…and all the unusual signs of the last 10-15 minutes in my head… In the week we’d been home as I’d been buttoning down the motorhome, whenever I started it, Bear came running and would not leave it until I shut it off and left myself. But this morning he didn’t come running.

Early morning, in Winter…it is the time that I am usually the most vigilant. It is the end of the night time hunting…when predators that have not found food might be at their most desparate. And this morning, I ignored all of the warnings that Bear gave that something was afoot.

Bear was missing for 52 hours. Thankfully, he was found by a neighbor. He was wet to his skin, hungry and tired but otherwise unhurt.

I am grateful beyond words to have him home safe.

I am grateful for the support of family, friends, co-workers who called other family and friends. A prayer chain grew rapidly and expanded to neighbors that I spoke to, who saw the posters I put up and the notes I put in mailboxes. My neighbor, who works for the county, spread the word among those that travel the county roads. My mail carrier passed the word to other carriers. A friend who is a realtor broadcast Bear’s info to the realty community. I felt buoyed by the prayers and positive thoughts of all and I feel sure that Bear did as well. The caring of those around me allowed me to stay mostly positive. I stood in the dark and pushed all the Love I had to Bear.

Wednesday morning, there was part of me that felt horrible despair – 2 nights gone… But a larger part that felt so very hopeful and sure that he would come home. A neighbor, that I had not known previously, phoned. Her 3 boys were upset at seeing the posters about Bear being lost and they wanted to help. Their house was in one of 2 directions that I suspected were the most likely. I drove to her house. She, her 3 boys ranging in age from 6 to 10, and their lab/shepherd mix, Abby – we set out through the woods on somewhat of a direct line from her house to mine. The boys were serious about tracking, calling, watching and listening. We found nothing, but their presence and positive attitude helped me tremendously. The boys sat on the front porch of my house and had a snack while Audrey and I walked my property and discussed options. We walked back to their house via the woods on “my” side of the road.

As we neared their house, shortly after noon on Wednesday, my phone beeped…not a call but a voice mail. For whatever reason the call went direct to voicemail. I listened to the message with the boys dancing around me: “My name is… and I have a black and white dog that answers to ‘Bear’…” The lost was found.

And yes, that first night and the next morning…we walked in the dark on leash. But Thursday at noon, in full daylight, we went out off leash. And that evening and the next morning – in the dark. Bear and I, we both got “back on the horse”. I don’t know what happened, what he chased or how he got to a place where he couldn’t find his way home and never heard me or the Jeep as I walked and drove the land around me..

But, once I felt he truly did not have any injuries and was “himself”, I felt it important to get back into what has been our routine. He is a Karelian Bear Dog – a northern breed dog, an independent thinking dog. As a team, we were progressing in trust and respect and I felt it was VERY important that we continue. I did not want him to feel as if I didn’t trust him and I also wanted his trust in return.

It is always a risk to let go.

But…I did add another tool to the arsenal.

The TAGG Pet Tracker. I’d looked at this previously, but since Bear was not out without me, I had delayed.

Bear was home by 1:00 on Wednesday. Immediately after a work meeting, I ordered the TAGG – approximately 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. It was in my hands at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday: $119.90 which was an extra $10 for the expedited shipping.

The TAGG uses the same GPS/cell technology as the navigation and GPS built into current smartphones…like my HTC Thunderbolt which I used as my GPS on my return from Colorado. There is an Android OS version of the TAGG tracking software.

As shown above, the phone app reports that Bear is in the vicinity of the docking station.

And he was.

The part that attaches to Bear’s collar does not interfere with Bear, or any of the other collars we use.

I’m still testing and learning and I don’t intend to depend on this device, it is simply another tool. My primary tool will be training and the bond between Bear and I and a continued teaching/learning of where we live.

We will walk and explore and give fear the heave-ho. All of life is a risk.